Shank stiffener



June 17, 1930. R` 'E BARTELg 1,764,064

SHANK STIFFENER Original Filed June 50, 1922 @Mg 5V@ Patented June 17,1930 UNITED 'rares PATENT ori-ice REINHARD E. IBARTELS, OF LYNN,MASSACHUSETTS; IDA M. ABALRTELS AND It. BUR- LEIGH BARTELS EXECUTORS OFSAID REINHARD E. BARIELS, DECEASED SHANK STIFFENER Original applicationfiled June 30, 1922, Serial N'o. 571,859. Divided and this applicationfiled March 10, 1926. Serial No. 93,59

rIhis application is a division of my copending application Serial No.571,859, filed June 30, 1922, upon which Letters Patent No. 1,580,278were granted April 1??, 1926. The invention relates to shank stiffenersmore particularly intended for Welt slices, though applicable to othertypes of shoes, and provides a construction by which great stiiiess andstrength may be provided with comparatively little Weight. For thispurpose the stifi'ener is substantially tubular in cross section betweenits ends Where the stress of use is greatest, this tubular constructionbeing preferably formed by two stiifener members or blanks fixed face toface, one of these blanks being curved laterally.

Means are also provided for interlocking the stifl'ener members themethod of manufacture insuring against play between the members when inuse.

For a more complete understanding of the invention, together withfurther objects and advantageous details and combinations of parts,reference may behad to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is aperspective of the longer stiffener member as prepared for attachmentwith the shorter member.

Figure 2 is a plan of the shorter member prepared for assembly with thelonger member.

Figure 8 is a longitudinal section on line 3-3 of Figure 2.`

Figure 4 is a side elevation of themembers assembled ready forincorporation in the shoe.

Figure 5 is a cross section on line 55 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary inverted plan of a welt innersole showing thestiffener in position.

Figure 7 is a section substantially on line 7 7 of Figure 6.

One of the members forming the shank stiffener comprises a stiffsubstantially rectangular blank 1, preferably of metal, which is showndetached in Figure 1. The blank adjacent each end is provided with oneor more slots 2, as shown a pair of such slots being provided adjacenteach end of the blank. Outwardly of these slots the blank is punched outat 3 to form prongs 4 by which the stiffener may be fixed in position onthe shoe. The other stifiener member is shorter than the blank 1 and isshown detached at 5 in Figure 2. This member, also preferably metallic,is curved laterally between its ends to form an arch-shaped portion 6and adjacent its ends it has struck therefrom at 7 prongs or tines 8spaced to correspond with the slots 2. These two stiffener members arethen assembled face to face with ,the prongs 8 extending through theslots 2 and folded against the remote face of the member 1 as shown inFigure 4. The combined stiffener is then molded longitudinally to theshape shown in Figure 4, the longer member 1 being on the conveXed sideof the stiffener. This curving of the stiffener causes the prongs 8 tobe sprung or jammed against a side of the slots 2 so that they are thusfirmly and tightly interlocked with the member 1 and all looseness orplay between the members is eliminated. The arch 6 forms with thestiffener member 1 a substantially tubular stiflener, one face beingflat and the other rounded. The molding of the strips longitudinallyafter they have been secured together results in a springing of thestrips which imposes longitudinal stresses upon them, tension on thelonger strip and compression on the shorter. This forms an exceedinglystiff construction between the ends of the stiffener where strength isof most importance and it is flat at its ends where it is attached tothe inneisole.

In Figures 6 and 7 the stiffener so formed of the two members 1 and 5 isshown as attached to the innersole of a welt shoe between thestitch-receiving ribs 10, the prongs 4 extending into the innersole andclinched therein to fasten the stiffener in position.

Having thus described an embodiment of this invention, it should beevident that various changes and modifications might be made thereinwithout departing from its spirit or scope as defined by the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. A shank stiifener comprising superposed metallic stiiiener stripsmolded to the desired longitudinal curvature, one of said strips beingshorter than the other and having tines engaging in slots in the otherto fasten them together, said shorter strip being molded to a lateralcurvature.

2. A shank stiffener comprising superposed stiff-ener strips molded tothe desiredr longitudinal curvature, one of said strips being shorterthan the other and having tines engaging in slots in the other to fastenthem together, said shorter strip being molded to a lateral curvature,and tines on said longer member beyond the ends of said shorter memberfor iixing said stili'ener in a shoe.

3. A shank stiffener comprising superposed metallic stiffener stripsmolded to the desired longitudinal curvature, one of said strips havingslots therethrough, the other said strip having tines extending through?said slots, Lsaid strips being respectively `under tension andcompression whereby the tines are tightly sprung against aside of theirrespective slots.

V4c. A shank stffener comprising superposed metallic stitfener stripsmoldedto the desired longitudinal curvature, one strip having slotstherethrough, the other striphaving tines projecting through said slotsand tightly and permanently jammed against one side thereof.

5. A shank stiffener comprising superposed metallic stiliener stripsmolded to the desired longitudinal curvature, one strip having slotstherethrough, and means for securing said strips together comprising;tines extending through said slots and clinched, each tine being tightlyand per`V ma-nently jammed against a side of its slot. l 6. A shankstifener` comprising super*- posed metallic stiffener strips molded tothe desired longitudinal curvature, means inte.v gral With'one oi saidstrips and engaging the other strip to positively and permanently locksaid strips against relative mo- 'tion in any direction.

7. A shank stifener comprising superposed metallic stiil'ener strips,one of said strips having apertures therethrough, and means for securingsaid strips together, said .means comprising elements passing throughsaid apertures and tightly jammed against:

one side thereof.

In testimony whereof I have affixed myv signature.

REINHARD E. BARTELS'..

